End connector



Dec. 3, 1940 J.'w. w. HOLDEN 2,223,420

END CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 21, 1939 INVENTO ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED. STATE.

END cominc'ron as. W. W. Holden, Providence, R. I.

Application Octcher 21, 1939, Serial No. 300,513

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to elastic ribbons equipped with end connectors and more particularly to the end connector construction.

The principal object of the present invention 5 is to provide an elastic ribbon having end connectors which can be readily applied or attached to a hat or similar article without sewing or without requirement of tools.

Another object of the present invention is to 10 provide an end connector which can be readily stamped from sheet stock and which can be easily attached to the end of the elastic ribbon.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an end connector which can be firmly and permanently clamped to the end of an elastic ribbon without the use of special tools.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in View, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed'in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically defined in the claim appended thereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ladys hat showing the attachment of the elastic ribbon and end connector of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the blank for forming the end connector;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the end connector ready for assembly with the elastic ribbon;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the end connector attached to the end of the elastic band and ready for assembly to the hat; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the elastic band and end connector attached to the sweat band of a hat.

The ladies hats made and sold recently are mainly of the type having small depth and dif- 40 ferent' kinds of odd shapes and sizes, so that the hat perches 0n the top of the head. It is therefore desirable to attach an elastic strap or band which runs from the hat to the back of the H head and thus holds the hat on the top of the head. Inasmuch as the hat is usually not equipped with the band when it is purchased from the store, it is necessary for the user to supply her own band if she wishes to thus equip the hat.

To this end, I have provided an elastic band II) of any suitable material, as for example elastic tape, which may be attached to the hat II by means of end connectors I2 mounted on each r end of the elastic band. The elastic band Ill may be of any desired shade and color so that the purchaser can pick a color to match the hat, and the end connectors I2 are designed for quick securing to the inner side of the hat sweat band I3 so that the ends of the elastic band are not visible when the hat is worn.

The end connector I2 is formed from a blank I4, see Fig. 2, which is readily stamped from sheet stock, the blank being preferably in the form of a base plate generally rectangular in shape and provided with elongated prongs I5 extending from opposite side edges and serrations or teeth I6 on the lower edge. The end connector is then shaped by bending or folding the base plate longitudinally along the dotted lines I'i, see Fig. 2, into the form shown in Fig. 3. This provides a generally flat rectangular lower plate portion I8 with the prongs I5 extending from either end thereof and having a turned up edge flange I9, and an integral upper plate portion which is slightly smaller and is 20 provided with the serrations or teeth I6 which extend towards the base. I3 and are adapted to seat within the flange I9.

The end connector is attached to the elastic band as shown in Fig. 4, the end of the elastic band being placed between the plate portions I8 and 29 and the end connector being pressed together to force the serrations I6 through the elastic ribbon material and behind the upturned edge flange I9, as illustrated at 2| in Fig. 4, thus 30 effectively clamping the end connector to the elastic ribbon so as to withstand hard pull. The prongs I5 are then bent transversely, preferably as shown in Fig. 4, in position for attachment to the hat sweat band. To secure the elastic ribbon, equipped with an end connector at each end as described, to the sweat band, the prongs I5 are thrust through the sweat band I3 and the prongs bent toward each other as shown in Fig.

5 so that they will lie fiat. The prongs are preferably pushed in from the outside of the sweat band, the sharp prongs being flat between the inner side of the. sweat band and the inner side of the hat and concealed from view. The elastic ribbon may be replaced or removed by merely opening the sweat band and bending up the prongs.

It can thus be readily seen that the end connector of the present invention is easy and economical to manufacture since it can readily be 5 requirements for different elastic ribbons without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim: An end connector for a tape comprising a base plate folded longitudinally to provide a lower plate portion and an upper plate portion of similar contour and adapted to clamp over a tape end inserted therebetween, one plate portion having triangular lock prongs of substantial length on the side edge portion thereof and extending transversely away therefrom, whereby said lock prongs may be locked to a support to secure the tape thereto, one plate portion having triangular engaging teeth on the longitudinal edge thereof extending towards the other plate portion, said other plate portion being of greater Width and having its longitudinal edge portion extending towards the engaging teeth to provide a guard therefor when in clamped position.

JOHN W. W. HOLDEN. 

